The series can be loosely considered a magical girl story. However, this series deviates from more conventional magical girl themes in that it addresses topics that are for a more mature audience, such as child abuse,[1] eating disorders,[2] and possibly misanthropy.[3] Nevertheless, it illustrates the main character's coming of age with each progressive episode, becoming more and more emotionally intense as the story goes on.
The story follows Ichika Tachibana's life over a summer holiday when she meets Manatsu Kuroki. The series then details their summer activities and the use of spiritual creatures called Djinn (ジン jin), non-cardinal elemental creatures that lend their powers to Ichika to help her and her friends when they invariably find themselves in danger, and eventually for their own motives.
After returning to the old classroom, Manatsu asks that Ichika use all the colored stones in the charm and record her experiences and thoughts. Starting with the facade of Manatsu as her text-message pal, Ichika begins to entangle herself in a web of small lies and deceptions.
When Ichika faces various dangers during the summer holiday, she at first uses the Djinn's power within the stones to resolve them supernaturally. But as the summer draws on, she begins to use the power even though there is no imminent danger. Through each experience with the Djinn she learns about the willfulness of herself and others. Slowly, the power of the Djinn erodes her emotional, physical, and mental strength, and she abuses the power to the point of attempting murder.
Ichika, in fact, had been subjected to a ritual judgment determined from the time she was conceived. Saya, the final Djinn, would take a young person of fourteen years—the age between the innocence of childhood and the hardness of adulthood—and show him or her the world through the eyes of the Djinn. The individual would experience seven trials that contrasted seven virtues and sins: affection and resentment, temperance and hubris, devotion and rebellion, honesty and treachery, reason and envy, passion and lust, wisdom and machination. When Ichika is thus led to despair in humanity and disgust of herself, Saya binds her to the mirror asks her to decide whether to destroy humanity or herself.
In response, however, Ichika refuses to choose either. Saya declares that as a violation of the rules, and drives her scythe towards Ichika's body. Sei shatters his stone skin and tries to stop the scythe, but Ichika decides that it is better that she die rather than see him hurt. Manatsu, in defiance, drives herself into the scythe, saving Ichika's life. Kai returns the life energy that kept him in human form to Sei, and both he and Manatsu revert to their original forms: shards of the old mirror.
When school resumed in the fall, Ichika decided to remain at Kamakura rather than join her parents in Italy. Elsewhere, Saya determined to move on and judge the next teenager.
Character names are presented in the Western order (given name, family name). Because all of the names here are Japanese, the Rōmaji for each name is simply the name in reverse order: for example, "Ichika Tachibana" would be read as "Tachibana Ichika" by the Japanese.
Date of birth: 1989-12-25
Height: 142 cm
Blood type: A
Clubs: Handicrafts Club
Voiced by: Yōko Honda
Ichika is a 14-year-old Japanese middle school student living in Kamakura, who discovers on the day before summer holiday that a gift from her tutor is much more than a good-luck charm.
She is honest and polite to everyone, including her own parents, and always tries to do the right thing. She detests lying, especially if she finds herself doing it. As a result, her friends often playfully tease her for being straightlaced. Ichika is easily scared, and the thought of ghosts terrifies her, especially when she first sees Manatsu in a mirror they find in the school's oldest building.
Date of birth: 1989-12-25
Height: 142 cm
Blood type: A
Clubs: None
Voiced by: Masumi Asano
Manatsu is a young girl that Ichika met in dreams and a mirror.
Manatsu seems to be the polar opposite of Ichika in terms of personality. When Ichika is hesitant, Manatsu is carefree and assertive; where the former is reserved, the latter is cheerfully outgoing. She also has striking similarities to Ichika, namely, she knows and loves many of the same things Ichika does, and she shares the same fear of ghosts.
Date of birth: 1990-05-20
Height: 151 cm
Blood type: B
Clubs: Basketball Club
Voiced by: Tomoko Kawakami
Ichika introduces her friend Satsuki as "a very responsible and strong person. You can always count on her." She is a brash young girl who often takes the lead of Ichika and the other friends. A painful memory causes her to avoid most boys, despite her seemingly strong personality. Satsuki has an older brother, with whom she apparently gets along well, despite the fact that they bicker a fair bit.
Date of birth: 1990-12-09
Height: 148 cm
Blood type: O
Clubs: Baton Club
Voiced by: Yurika Ochiai
Ichika describes her friend Keiko as "a proper young lady from a good family, gentle and kind." She is the type who is easily amused by simple things, such as shaking a duster in a sunbeam. Her parents appear to be rather controlling, however, which causes Keiko some distress with regards to a boy she liked.
Date of birth: 1990-10-03
Height: 145 cm
Blood type: AB
Clubs: Reading Club
Voiced by: Yukari Tamura
Ichika says of her friend Michiru, "She's really into literature, and her instincts are amazingly sharp." She can allegedly see ghosts and spirits, and is a quiet, if not shy, person. Michiru has a younger sister named Rui, of whose feelings she appears to be rather protective. Michiru is prone to making slightly odd comments and is not prepared to go into the sea, possibly due to some physical intolerance, although this is unconfirmed.
Sei Tōdō (藤堂誓唯?)
Sei is one of Ichika's tutors, and a high school student. He instructs her in grammar, literature, and social sciences. He is introduced as the twin brother of Kai. Of the two, Sei usually seems to be the calmer, gentler one. Ichika has developed romantic feelings for him.
Date of birth: 1984-06-15
Height: 183 cm
Blood type: A
Voiced by: Nobuo Tobita
Kai Tōdō (藤堂繪委?)
Kai is Ichika's other tutor. He teaches her math and science. He is introduced as the twin brother of Sei. Of the two, Kai seems the more extroverted one and more physical in nature.
Date of birth: 1984-06-15
Height: 185 cm
Blood type: A
Voiced by: Nobutoshi Kanna
Saya Kogure (小暮沙耶?)
Saya is an enigmatic woman who is, at times, hidden from view of most people. She is the Tachibanas' next door neighbor, and is in the fashion industry.
Voiced by: Maria Kawamura
But this is only an illusion—she covertly pushes circumstances in Ichika's life to bring her to use the power of the Djinns. She can move anywhere at will, turn her scarf into a deadly scythe and other objects and keeps an eye on Ichika throughout the series. She strictly enforces rules concerning the activation of the stones: the current bearer must remain completely in the dark as to their true nature and purpose and no one may interfere with the bearer's decision whether to use the power.
LINK:http://vn.360plus.yahoo.com/anime-hometown/article?mid=124&fid=-1
No comments:
Post a Comment